


Renewal Bonus Chapters

by transjnpr



Series: Renewal [2]
Category: RWBY
Genre: F/F, Other
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-16
Updated: 2020-11-03
Packaged: 2021-03-05 19:07:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,129
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25930333
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/transjnpr/pseuds/transjnpr
Summary: A collection of bonus chapters from my RWBY Future AU, Renewal. Oneshots from characters outside of team LLAC, glimpses into the character's childhoods, and bonus trivia and lore!
Series: Renewal [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1881874
Comments: 5
Kudos: 14





	1. Trivia Chapter 1

Hey everyone, Blaire here!! Sorry if you were hoping for another chapter right out of the gate, but I wanted to take a tiny break from that to provide some trivia about the fic that I'd love to share! Including character and story trivia, changes I've made since conception, and a few Q&As from my Twitter and CuriousCat! Enjoy!

**Character trivia**

-Lily's lack of a Semblance came about because I simply couldn't be bothered to think of one that suited her. I came up with the other three quite easily off the top of my head, but Lily's didn't come for me, so I left her without one. Now though, I do have one planned for her, which was very vaguely and sneakily alluded to in a previous chapter.

-Despite Luna being the older of the two siblings and being the one to get a POV in Renewal, Blaze was created first. She came about just as a fun design project for me that I'd not intended to do anything with, and I created Luna right after because I wanted to try a different design as well.

-After wanting to create other fanchildren as well, I decided that I didn't want Luna's teammates to be RW__JNR kids because it didn't feel right to me for any of them to have kids as the same time Blake and Yang had their first child. I decided to pick other characters to give children instead, creating Cobalt first, then Astra, and Lily last. 

-Other ships canon in Renewal include, but are not limited to, Seamonkeys, Goldleaf and Rich Farmers, to name a few. Renora are the only M/F couple to be canon in the story.

-Astra is written to have ADHD and as a result, I've thrown a lot of my own traits in that you may have noticed, including exited bounding, getting easily bored when left to her own devices, and having an 'act first, think later' mentality.

-Both Astra and Lily are canonically transgender, and they're not the only ones. A few more of the fic's OCs, namely Summer, Quince (one of Renora's five children) and Storm are under the umbrella as well. Several, though not all of my trans headcanons for the canon RWBY characters are canon in the story as well, namely Yang, Blake, Ren, Nora, Qrow and Oscar. If you're wondering how the former four still had biological children, just know that Remnant is much better than Earth in terms of HRT.

-Lily started as a character I wasn't entirely fond of and didn't bother much with before I made myself fall absolutely in love with her by writing about her struggles.

-Lily has scars on her neck and arms (depicted in a sketch I drew once of her without her jacket) from an incident that occurred as a twelve-year-old, when a group of teenagers attacked her in a quiet part of town. She doesn't like to think about it and has not explained them to her teammates, who haven't asked.

-Blaze is scarred as well, most notably her torn ear, but unlike Lily, this is purely from carelessness.

-Astra learned what being trans was upon meeting May Marigold at an event in Atlas when she was eight years old. She knew it applied to her immediately and rushed to tell her mother about it.

-Lily, on the other hand, learned when she was twelve, after finding out about it on the internet. She came out more gradually, first starting to wear clothes she felt more comfortable in, then asking Emerald to call her Lily, and then coming out fully after both of the former went well. Emerald had already started doing her own research from the moment she suspected that it was the case, and supported her wholeheartedly. 

-Mercury died during the final battle with Salem, but had he lived, he'd have been like a cool uncle to Lily, and both she and Emerald probably would have led happier lives with him as support.

-A week after Lily's father walked out on Emerald, he was killed by the figure known as The Ghost after they caught him harassing a teenage girl. His body was disposed of and never found.

-Team LLAC all have set birthdays that each have significant dates:

  * Luna- August 22 (the airdate of 'The Emerald Forest Part 1', where Blake and Yang become partners)
  * Astra- November 30 (the airdate of 'Sparks', where Team FNKI appear in the show for the first time since V3)
  * Lily- March 10 (March marks the start of Spring in the Northern Hemisphere when most lilies bloom)
  * Cobalt- June 25 (the release date of After the Fall, which focuses on Team CFVY)



-At the current point in the story, Lily is 18, which the other three are 17.

-Like LLAC, the team that will eventually be known as SABL- consisting of Summer, Blaze and the Renora twins, Li and April, also have specific birthdates, all with the gimmick of being in the same month.

  * Summer- April 2
  * Blaze- April 20 (yes, there's an intentional joke there)
  * Li and Apil- April 28 



**Story and world trivia**

-Renewal was never meant to be a written fanfiction and existed purely for my own entertainment; I'd even sworn that I'd never write it. However, after getting used to writing fanfiction involving the canon RWBY characters and growing far too many ideas for the story, I decided to start writing anyway.

-Initially, Renewal was known as my 'Beeby AU', then my 'Future AU' when I involved other fanchildren. Renewal became the title when I decided to write it as a proper fanfiction, being named after the fact that the lilac flower symbolizes it, as well as the fanfiction being a noncanon 'renewal' of the RWBY story.

-As alluded to in an earlier chapter, the school and government of Atlas are now separate. Winter Schnee is the headmistress of Atlas Academy and Robyn Hill sits on the Council, alongside a few other insignificant people.

-Vacuo is in the midst of being remodeled and built up to be a safer, easier place to live. This movement was titled 'The Vacuo Reconstruction Project' and is headed by Team SSSN, with support by Shade Academy. 

-The Schnee Dust Company, now being run by Whitely Schnee, is far more trusted than it was under Jacques. It has been largely dismantled and returned to its original purpose of truly helping the people of Atlas and Mantle, though other companies are striving to become the wealth-hoarding company the SDC once was.

-Renewal as we know it will end after Team LLAC's second year- but it will be followed up by a sequel that will take place over another two years.

-Beacon's rebuilding came with a few changes, including commemorative plaques like the one shown of the Fall victims, as well as one honoring the people who fought the final battle against Salem. Another addition, done at the request of Team RWBY, was for bunk beds to be mandatory in all dorm rooms.

-We will be seeing a Vytal Festival, but not until LLAC's second year.

**Changes**

-Summer Rose-Schnee, the daughter of Ruby, Weiss, and Penny, was initially created purely as a Whiterose fanchild, but after V7 came out and revealed that Penny was alive, as well as making me ship Dolts and Bolts, I decided to throw Penny into the mix as well.

-Related to the above, Summer has gone through three different designs since her conception. The first featured her in a pink, red and white outfit, with black and pink hair in a ponytail. After realizing I hated the ponytail, I gave her shorter hair at the risk of making her look even more like Ruby than she already did. Finally, after deciding to make Penny her mother too, I revamped her design to what it is now, adding more design elements inspired by Weiss and Penny.

-Coco and Velvet were not originally intended to be a couple because I was worried about being criticized for having 'too many' LGBT+ couples. I ended up throwing this out the window because I'm gay and can do what I want.

-Like Mercury, Raven was a victim of the final battle, but I'd gone back and forth between this and having her be alive and simply in hiding. I settled for her death because it felt unrealistic to me for the final battle to have only one death outside of Cinder, Salem, and Ozpin.

-Cobalt was not originally intended to have young siblings, nor were April and Li, but I couldn't resist designing more characters.

-A future plot point was originally envisioned differently, but when I decided to write the story for real, I had to change things to be more relevant to the central characters.

-Another future plot point was planned for chapters 17 and 18, but have now been moved ahead due to me deciding I didn't want to do it too early.

-I'd briefly considered having Luna, Astra and Lily develop a polyamorous relationship, but decided against it upon considering that Lily already had enough in her arc without thrusting romance onto her and that I didn't want to leave out Cobalt. Don't worry though- Lily will get herself a love interest eventually.

-Jaune wasn't supposed to be as important as he has been, but he ended up being perfect for just about every situation I needed an adult for.

-Sun was supposed to be a teacher at Shade, then their vice-headmaster, but I decided against having him work there and gave him the Vacuo Reconstruction Project as something to do instead.

-Sun and Neptune are married with children in canon, but this was actually a recent decision. Initially, I'd intended for them to still be struggling with their feelings for each other.

-Sage and Scarlet were planned to be married, but after reading _Before the Dawn_ , I changed my mind on this.

**Q &A**

_Q: Do you have any plans for Flynt and the other members of Team FNKI besides Neon?_

A: Not big ones, but they probably will be mentioned at some point- Astra technically did mention Kobalt when she complimented Cobalt's name and mentions knowing someone who shares it.

_Q: Which character do you have the most fun writing for?_

A: Definitely Astra, from the very start. Being able to insert my own ADHD-fueled energy into her has been a lot of fun and she has some of my favourite lines in the fic so far. Lily's become really fun to write too, if just because I love diving into her development.

_Q: Which would you say is the most difficult to write for?_

A: I've been really worried about how I'm getting Ilia down; I never feel like I have a good grasp on what her character would be like 20 years into RWBY's future.

_Q: Are there any characters that you haven't written in yet but have some plans for?_

A: Yes, very much, absolutely. I'm in the middle of setting one up and we'll be meeting or at least hearing mention of every RWBY character that's at least semi-important. I have _many_ plans for other characters, and Renewal's sequel will explore this further.

_Q: Do you think we'll be seeing your Dolts and Bolts kid soon?_

A: Summer is coming! I have everything planned up to her introduction. I'd say you can except her in a couple of months!

_Q: Do you plan on adding any members from the teams that participated in the Vytal Festival?_

A: Outside of Team FNKI, which I mentioned earlier, there is at least one character from the Vytal Teams that I intend to include or at least mention.

And with that, so ends our trivia session! If all goes well, you can expect to see a second one sometime in the future for any stuff I missed here, couldn't really talk about yet, or have yet to come up with!

Thank you all so much for reading Renewal up to this point, and I hope you enjoy what I have set up to come!


	2. The Night She Met Him (Oneshot)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After training with Lily and Neo, Emerald reflects on one specific past mistake.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> our first bonus chapter!!! finally!!! i hope you guys enjoy a dive into the pov of someone not from team llac ^^

She still vividly remembered the night she’d met him.

Having just finished her final court case, she’d retreated to a low-end bar to drown herself in cheap alcohol, when he’d approached to talk. She wasn’t sure why, but as she silently washed the dishes left behind from her lunch with Lily and Neo, the memories forced themselves into her mind.

_Emerald knew she should be celebrating. After all, she’d just been cleared of any sentence once and for all, freed from the responsibility to pay for her past crimes. And yet, it was hard to feel that she deserved it, when she’d caused so much irreparable damage. What good was it that she’d killed the only parental figure she’d ever had? It didn’t change the past. And it hadn’t changed the way so many people still felt about her._

_Downing her fourth drink of the night, she set the glass down and ordered another. She almost didn’t see the young man approaching until he leaned on the bar right next to her, and she forced herself to address him._

_“Do you need anything?” She didn’t bother with a polite tone._

_He didn’t get the hint. “Just admiring the view.”_

_Emerald rolled her eyes. How original. “Not much to admire.” She muttered bluntly._

_The man lifted an eyebrow. “Is that what you think? Must not have looked in a mirror lately, then.”_

_Emerald forced herself to turn and face him. Dark magenta hair fell over an equally dark face and bright golden eyes. Begrudgingly, she accepted that there were worse-looking people who could have approached her._

_There was no point in asking, but she did anyway. “Don’t you know who I am?”_

_“Sure,” The man replied nonchalantly. “You’re the thief who worked for that crazy woman.”_

_Emerald narrowed her eyes. “I’m not a thief,” She corrected. “And I don’t work for Cinder. Not anymore.”_ Because I killed her, _she added privately._

_The man shrugged. “Whatever you say. I’m not judging though. Everyone’s committed a crime or two in their lives, no big deal.”_

_Emerald tried not to be bothered by the fact he didn’t seem to believe her. “I suppose.” Was all she replied with, not about to go into how what she’d done had been far more than ‘a crime or two’. So long as he was acting friendly towards her, unlike so many others._

_“So then,” The man chuckled. “Are you going to let me buy you a drink, or what?”_

_Emerald managed a wry half-smile. “Sure.”_

_“The name’s Nate, by the way,” The man added. “And if I’m remembering correctly, yours is Emerald, right?”_

_She nodded._

_“It suits you,” Nate commented. “A gem of a name for a gem of a woman.”_

Their relationship had kickstarted from there, if you could even call it that. In reality, it hadn’t been anything more than a fling, one calling up the other whenever they were in the mood, spending the night together in an often-drunken mess. There had been no love, no connection, but at least it had been _something_. A distraction, if nothing else.

The smooth kindness Nate had shown her at the bar had not lasted long. It only took a few days before his true colours had begun to show, in the way he expected her to be up for anything whenever he was, and the way he’d lounge around her house the morning after, often leaving several beer cans behind after he left. Emerald hadn’t cared. She knew it couldn’t last, that it wasn’t exactly healthy, but it was better than being alone, as far as she was concerned.

Four weeks was all it had taken until she’d realized her cycle had skipped, when that cold stone of dread settled itself into her heart, and a test had confirmed her fears. And telling Nate had been worse.

_Emerald’s hands were trying their hardest to shake. She stubbornly refused to let them._

_Nate was right there, lounged on the couch, not even looking at her. He was on his third beer of the morning and stank of it._

_She had to tell him. There was no avoiding it; he’d find out sooner or later, assuming he intended to stick around for that much longer. And if he found out later, he’d not forgive her for keeping it from him. No, it had to be now._

_She took a deep breath._

_“Nate, I need to tell you something.”_

_Surely, he’d understand. Maybe once he knew, he’d take the chance to step up, to work on himself, and become a better man. Maybe he’d surprise her._

_Nate still didn’t look at her. “Can’t it wait?” He muttered. “I’m not in the mood for small talk.” He took another swig from his can._

_Emerald didn’t give in. “No,” She insisted. “It’s important. I need you to listen.”_

_Still, Nate’s gaze didn’t even flick in her direction. He waved a hand lazily. “Fine, go ahead.”_

_Emerald wasn’t sure how to tell him. How was she supposed to drop something like this on him, when they weren’t even really dating? This was something a couple decided to do after years of being together. It was not something that was supposed to come from a few meaningless flings._

_She needed to be blunt, she realized. There was no dancing around it, no easing him into it. He’d only tune her out, or snap at her for wasting his time. She closed her eyes, praying to Gods she knew weren’t even watching over her anymore, and came out with it._

_“I’m pregnant.”_

_Finally, Nate turned to her, his eyes wide and startled. But after a second, to Emerald’s surprise, he barked a short laugh._

_“Good one, Em. You almost had me. Did you get that dare from a lost bet, or what?”_

_Emerald’s heart sunk a little. She wished she could pretend she’d only been joking. Part of her wished she really_ could _just be joking._

_“I’m not kidding,” She replied. “We need to talk about what we’re going to do.”_

_Nate’s eyes narrowed. “You’re serious?” Without waiting for a response, he shrugged and continued, “Well, what’s there to talk about? Just get rid of it.”_

_Emerald stared at him, knowing she was being hypocritical for having a problem with the statement. She had, after all, already considered it. It would certainly be easier that way. But the reality was, she knew how the public would respond to it. There was nowhere she could have it done that word wouldn’t have escaped from. She was still a hot topic of discussion in Vale right now. If news reporters found out, the people who hated her would just have another thing to add to the pile. No, she had to accept responsibility. And, regardless, a small, secret part of her wondered what it would be like to raise a family. To give a child something she’d never had._

_She shook her head at Nate. “I can’t do that,” She told him. “We need to take responsibility for this.”_

_A dangerous look crossed Nate’s face. “What do you mean ‘we’?” He stood up and began to pace. “Ugh, I can’t believe this.” He took a step in Emerald’s direction. “You slimy bitch.”_

_Emerald stepped back, bewildered. “Excuse me!?”_

_“This was your plan all along, wasn’t it?” Nate snapped. “To go and get yourself knocked up so that you could drain me of everything I’ve got?”_

_Emerald stared at him, incredulous. “Are you accusing me of doing this on_ purpose!? _”_

_“I’ve heard about whores like you,” Nate continued as if Emerald hadn’t even spoken. “You drag a man in, give him what he wants, then go and get pregnant so you can saddle him with support fees and free babysitting.”_

_Anger flared up in Emerald’s gut. “You’re being ridiculous,” She shot back. “You had as much part in this as I did.”_

_Nate strode up to her, his fists balled and face dark. “Now listen here,” he growled. “You’re not getting a cent out of me. And if you ever come to me again, or send the government after me, I’ll tear you and your little parasite apart. Got that?”_

_Emerald stood her ground, seething. “Get out of my house.” She spat._

_Nate loomed over her. “You’re going to pay for this.”_

_Emerald felt her powers flare up defensively at the threat. “Try me.”_

_At that, Nate backed down, clearly shocked, but trying to hide it with his anger. “Whatever,” He replied icily. “But I’d better not see you again.”_

_He left the house, slamming the door hard enough that Emerald heard the old wood crack. It was only when she was sure he was gone that she let herself break down._

She hated remembering. It always filled her with pain and fury to recall that moment, when she’d found herself in even deeper trouble, when she was supposed to have been free from it. For weeks afterward, she’d felt completely numb, barely leaving the house and spending her days in misery.

She’d been terrified that Nate would come back, or that she’d see him in the street. Not because she saw him as a threat, but because she knew what she’d have to do if he did. She had sworn against using those powers from the moment she’d gotten them. Sworn against fighting and killing altogether. But she’d known she’d have no choice if he came after her or, more importantly, her unborn child.

Thankfully, she’d never seen him since. Months passed by, and she’d been completely alone.

_Emerald sat on the couch as the news flashed up on the tiny, flickering television screen in front of her. She wasn’t paying attention, not really. Not at least, until Nate’s face appeared on the screen, and she jumped without meaning to._

_“Twenty-five-year-old Nate Umber has been reported missing after failing to show up for work several days in a row. Vale police have launched an investigation in an effort to find him.”_

Good riddance, _Emerald thought. The coward had probably skipped town altogether, probably to find more innocent young women to fool around with. She found herself hoping the next one was someone tougher, who wouldn’t let him off as easily as she had._

_She still felt searing anger towards him, and utter misery rearing its head again. She’d spent the last few months hoping everything would just go away, or maybe that the test had been inexplicably incorrect. But four months in now, the slight swell of her belly meant that she could longer deny it to herself._

_She didn’t want to do this alone. She didn’t know how she possibly could, not with her status. Several times, she’d found herself considering reaching out to teams RWBY and JNR, to beg them for their help. But that simply wasn’t an option. After everything they’d already done for her, who was she to go to them and beg them for more? No, she couldn’t get them involved. She didn’t want to owe them even more than she already did._

_In that moment, she found herself missing Mercury with a terrible ache. It wasn’t fair that he’d fallen victim to the battle and not her. It wasn’t fair that hardly anyone would remember him. He’d died so nobly, fighting in one last effort against Salem and her forces, until Cinder had caught him unaware and made a show of ending his life in front of everyone. It wasn’t fair._

_If he’d been here now, she knew he would have done anything he could to help her. Sure, he’d been a jerk at the best of times, but he was the closest thing to a sibling Emerald had ever had. If he were here, he’d joke about becoming an uncle, and say that he would be the one to teach the kid to swear. Everything could have been so simpler. At the very least, she would have had his support. She wouldn’t be alone._

_Almost in response, she felt a jolt in her belly. At first, she thought it was something bad she’d eaten, until she felt it again and realized. There was a person growing inside her, letting her know it was there for the first time._

_“What am I supposed to do?” She whispered, though she knew it couldn’t hear her. “I want to meet you. But what happens after I do? How can I give you the life you deserve if I can’t even have that myself?”_

_The movement subsided, and Emerald leaned back against the couch with a heavy sigh, despair washing over her again. If Mercury were here, he’d scold her for moping. She could almost picture him beside her, telling her to stop feeling sorry for herself and find something productive to do._

_She sat up again, the thought sparking an idea in her head. She could get a job. She would never do huntress work again, sure, but there were plenty of other jobs she didn’t need a lot of skill to do. Something was better than nothing._

_Four more months. That was roughly the time she had to get as much money as she could. Maybe by then, she’d have enough to raise a baby on her own, at least for a few months. She’d figure out what to do from there._

For all intents and purposes though, things hadn’t gone as well as Emerald had wanted. She’d managed to secure a truck driving job that prevented her from getting much sleep, but paid better than she could have hoped for. But after two months, she’d been fired, after her employers had decided they didn’t want a former thief to transporting their goods. She’d been sent back to square one.

Another two months passed, and Lily had been born, in the same house Emerald was standing in now. She’d refused to go to a hospital, terrified of the idea that they’d deem her unfit to be a parent, that they wouldn’t allow her to raise a child. It had been six months before Emerald had even gotten Lily registered as a Valien citizen.

The moment of holding Lily for the first time had been bittersweet. Nothing could have prepared her for the intense love she’d felt for someone she’d only known for a couple of minutes, but she’d looked so much like him at the time that it terrified her. She’d been filled with the fear that she would take after him.

Now, of course, she knew that the fear had been utterly ridiculous. As Lily had grown, Emerald had begun to recognize some of her own features in her, doubly so after she’d begun her transition. Emerald had wound up with a kindhearted, intelligent, and wonderful daughter, one who didn’t deserve to have come from where she had.

The clinking of the dishes as Neo dried and put away the ones Emerald had washed jerked her from her thoughts. Watching the other woman, it dawned on Emerald why Nate had popped into her mind. The time she’d spent with Neo in the past few weeks had always felt familiar, but only now did she realize why. In an odd way, Neo reminded her of Nate, not as he’d turned out to be, but on the night she’d first met him.

But at the same time, she was nothing like him. Yes, they were both smug and flirtatious, but Neo had traits that Nate couldn’t have dreamed of having. Neo was hardworking, and as much as she’d never admit it, kindhearted. The past two decades had changed her from someone who only helped herself to someone who genuinely wanted to do good, so long as she could be snarky while doing it.

As Neo noticed Emerald watching her, she signed, “ _Are you okay?_ ” Something Nate had never once asked.

Emerald smiled warmly. “Yeah, I’m fine. I’m just glad you’re here.”

Neo smirked lightheartedly. “ _Don’t go getting soft on me, now_.” She flung the handtowel over her shoulder as she put away the last dish.

No, Neo was nothing like Nate,

But a small part of Emerald found herself hoping that, maybe, she could be what he should have been.


	3. Trivia Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In celebration of Renewal hitting 100 kudos, I present another trivia chapter full of fun facts and answered questions!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> GUUUUUYYYSSSS WE HIT 100 KUDOS TODAY.....MY DUMB LITTLE FIC HAS COME SO FAR AND I'M SO PROUD AND GRATEFUL TO YOU ALL <33333 i hope you guys enjoy more trivia!!!

Hey everyone! No split of different types of trivia this time- it's all in one. There are probably won't be as much as last time, but with any luck, it's just as entertaining! Also, this contains spoilers for up to chapter 34, so don't read if you haven't gotten that far!

**General trivia**

-After the final battle with Salem, rebuilding the schools that had fallen came alongside changing the school curriculum, something many headmasters had wanted to do but never had an excuse for. The schools have four semesters with roughly two weeks of holiday in between, except for between semesters 4 of 1 year and the first of the next, where the holidays last over two months to give families a chance to spend the holidays together for longer. Outside of the Renewal universe, my reasoning for this is so that I could write the semesters and holidays in a way I was used to- they align with those in Australia. 

-Upon her original conception, Lily was not supposed to be Emerald's child, or that of any known character for that matter. I'd initially been unsure about having every member of Team LLAC be descendants of characters we'd met in the show, until I decided that a child of Emerald could be a very interesting topic to tackle.

-Alongside so many other characters, May and Joanna of the Happy Huntresses have children too; the oldest to exist in the story. They have been alluded to in a previous chapter and we will meet them in time.

-Team LLAC and SABL all have canon heights, seen on this chart:

-Team LLAC and SABL's birthdays were revealed in the last trivia chapter, but the other named original characters all have canon birthdays as well, all based on those of various of my twitter mutuals.

  * Storm Hunter- November 28
  * Yarrow Cypress- May 3
  * Kahlua and Bailey Adel- June 11
  * Juno, Mai and Raine Wukong- Feburary 16
  * Pyrrha Ren-Valkyrie- July 13
  * Quince Ren-Valkyrie- July 10
  * Laurel Ren-Valkyrie- August 16
  * Fern Marigold- July 21
  * Aster Marigold- July 20



-Before Renewal was ever intended to be a fanfiction, Neo's arc in the story was quite different. She was still a vigilante, but instead of being found by Lily, she would be befriended Pyyrrha Valkyrie when the latter was young, and eventually be found out years later after being hurt in a storm. Things were changed for the official story to keep the focus more on the main characters.

-Neo indeed does not have Hush anymore; both it and Roman's hat were lost to the alley when she was taken down.

-Story ideas for up to the second of LLAC's second year have been planned, as well as a few details from Renewal's sequel.

-While they won't be starting Beacon until LLAC's third year, the for-now unofficial Team SABL aren't much younger than them. They are currently all 16, but because they all missed the age cutoff for Beacon by just a few weeks, they'll be closer to being 18 when they begin. 

-It has not been mentioned by name in the story, but Astra canonically has ADHD, and many of her traits are based on my own.

-The cartoon Astra, Luna and Lily were watching in chapters 31 and 32 was The Owl House. The one Astra and Luna watched in chapter 14 was Gen:LOCK.

-Aside from Neo and Emerald, the only RWBY villain still alive is Hazel, who is currently serving life imprisonment. Unlike the others, who were killed because they gave the heroes no choice, Hazel surrendered himself to the consequences without complaint.

-Luna and Astra's shipname is Nightsky. Coablt and Storm don't yet have one, but two noncanon ships do- Lily/Cobalt is Bluebell and Luna/Lily/Astra is Nightshade. 

-Originally, it was only Blaire Arylide that was supposed to make an appearance, but when I wanted to give her a team, the opportunity to include my friends' OCs was too hard to resits. They will appear again, and soon.

-It has specifically been 23 years since RWBY Volume 7. For reference, Ruby is 40 years old.

-The story is only canon-compliant as far as Volume 7. Anything that happens in future volumes will not have an impact unless they fit seamlessly enough in.

-Luna's Aura colour is lavender, Lily's is pale green, Astra's in white, and Cobalt's is silver. This is alluded to in the fic's official cover.

-All of Team RWBY and JNR are still hunstman, as are most other characters. The only exceptions to this are Taiyang and Qrow, who are retired, Oscar, who much prefers not fighting, and Neon, who isn't sure what to do without her team to support her.

-If LLAC were Pokemon, Luna would be a Psychic type, Lily would be a Dark/Grass type, Cobalt would be a Rock/Ground type, and Astra would be a Fairy/Fire type.

-LLAC's ethnicities are all based on my headcanons for their parents. Luna is Chinese and Japanese, with a bit of Arabian and French as well, Lily is Arabian and Sudanese, Astra is partially Japanese (though mostly white), and Cobalt is just white.

-We will find out the story behind Lily's scars eventually.

-Aside from my sexuality and gender headcanons, several more of my headcanons for RWBY characters apply, such as Nora being from Atlas.

-There is one very minor character from RWBY that will have significance to the story, and one character in particular, in LLAC's second year.

-Each of Team LLAC have a 'word' that encapsulates them, just as Blake has for Team RW_Y in the canon show. Luna's is 'caution', Lily's is 'determination', Astra's is 'energy', and Cobalt's is 'loyalty'.

-Luna can sing, but has not done so in front of anyone since she was a kid.

-On a similar note, Astra can play guitar and doesn't have too bad a singing voice either.

-While Lily and Cobalt still have the opportunity to strengthen their Semblances, Astra's has a whole level of unlocked potential that she's unaware of.

**Q &A**

**Q: Do LLAC enjoy watching horror movies to be scared by them?**

A: Only Astra does; Cobalt watches them for the artistry and both Lily and Luna hate them.

**Q: How's Penny doing?**

A: Protecting Mantle keeps her busy, but whenever she gets too stressed out by it or just wants a break, she'll head down to Vale to spend time with her wives and daughter.

**Q: Who do each of the characters look up to and why?**

A: This is perhaps a lazy answer, but essentially every RWBY hero than came before them. There are the legendary heroes they aspire to be after all, especially their parents.

**Q: How are the other teammates feeling about Storm?**

A: Luna and Lily are more willing to trust him now, especially Lily, but Astra's still a little on the fence, given that she knew him in the past.

**Q: Will Birch and Rowan ever be decent? What about Storm's other teammate?**

A: Spoilers :') As for Yarrow, he's learning from Storm and just vibing.

**Q: If RWBY was an in-universe show, who would be each character's favourite character, volume, and song?**

A: Luna's would be Ruby, Volume 6, and Touch the Sky, Lily's would be Blake, V7, and Home, Astra's would be Nora, V4, and Indomitable, and Cobalt's would be Penny, V7, and I May Fall.

**Q: What are the character's mottos?**

A: They don't really have any! They have ideals that they live by, but no specific phrases or anything.

**Q: Has Emerald figured out how she feels about Neo yet? If not, how does she feel currently?**

A: Emerald has actually had a crush on Neo since they were teenagers, and her return has indeed reawakened it. 

**Q: How does Lily feel about having Neo around now?**

A: The previous chapter explored this a little, but Lily has grown used to it surprisingly quickly, and is glad her mother has someone to keep her company while she's at Beacon.

**Q: So, how long have Emerald and Neo been together?**

A: They've been living together for roughly a month now :)

**Q: Does this mean that Lily has a new mom or aunt now that Neo's living with Emerald?**

I wouldn't really say that; it definitely hasn't been long enough for either of them to see each other as family.

**Q: If Lily is so hated because she shares her mother's last name, why doesn't she just change it?**

A: There are two answers to this. The first is that the discrimination against Lily does not come purely from her last name. She looks enough like Emerald and is around her often enough for the connection to be easily drawn. The second is that- the thing is, Lily is not ashamed of having Emerald for a mother. it isn't something she wants to hide from; she just wants to change the misconceptions other people have about her. Even if changing her name would have helped, she'd not have done it, because she doesn't want to ignore that she is her mother's daughter.

**Q: Who would go batshit feral over a certain food?**

Astra would die for any of her favourite foods, though she's not exactly picky.

**Q: Who is your favourite side character to write?**

A: I haven't actually written for who I know the answer will actually be, so for now, I'll say it's Yang. I haven't been able to write her much, but her personality is enjoyable to get down.

**Q: Did you come up with names or designs first for the characters?**

Names! I almost never come up with solid designs first; I try to let a character's name influence their design.

And with that, that's it until next time! Which will probably be a good while off, I think, but we will hopefully still see many bonus chapters in the future :) For now, if you have any other questions, feel free to shoot them out me via my Twitter, Tumblr, or CuriousCat! 


	4. Promises (Oneshot)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Before a mission, a promise is made, and a discussion is had about changing feelings.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> man was this painful to write

Watching Silver play with his son always gave Coco mixed feelings, and she hated herself for it. Silver was one of the kindest and most decent men she’d ever met, which was saying something, and he’d turned out to be a better father in the past four years than she ever would have expected. He was the kind of guy it was practically impossible to hate; it was no small wonder Velvet had fallen for him so quickly all that time ago. And watching him play with Cobalt was adorable enough to bring a smile to anyone’s face.

And yet, for Coco, there was still that twinge of sadness. The jealousy. Because Cobalt wasn’t _hers_. And _Velvet_ wasn’t hers. And she kicked herself every day for having the nerve to be upset with it when Velvet was her own person, who made her own choices, and when she cared too much about Silver to ever want to hurt him like that. The goofy man had become like one of her brothers. Splitting up him and Velvet just wasn’t an option.

It still didn’t stop the pain.

She watched Silver flop down on the floor as Cobalt tackled him.

“Oh, you’ve got me! Whatever will I do now?”

Cobalt sat down on his chest with a triumphant grin. “Yes! I’m the _best_ huntsman!”

Silver lifted the four-year-old away and sat up, adjusting his chestplate. “You sure are,” he chuckled. “Pity I can’t have you at my side for this mission.”

Cobalt scrambled to his feet and puffed his chest out while his ears flopped forward. “Then I’ll come with you! And I’ll fight _all_ the Grimm!”

“Sorry buddy,” Silver leaned forward and ruffled Cobalt’s hair between his ears. “I don’t think your mother would be very happy with me if I took you with me and I didn’t tell her,” He turned and winked at Coco. “She’d feel left out.”

Coco chuckled and stood from her chair to go and join them. “Besides, who’s going to tell you bedtime stories about the triumphs of Team CFVY if you don’t stay here?”

Cobalt sighed, his ears drooping. “I _guess_.”

Silver knelt beside him. “Hey, I’ll tell you what,” he offered, “If you’re good for your mother while I’m gone, I’ll bring you back a souvenir.”

Cobalt’s face lit up. “Really? What’s that?”

“Right, you’re four.” Silver chuckled. “A special present, I mean.”

Cobalt bounced on his feet. “Oh! Okay! I’ll be really good then! Extra special good!”

Coco couldn’t find herself doubting that. Cobalt had always been a good kid; never really getting into trouble or misbehaving. Not that she’d seen or his parents had told her about, anyway.

“Well then, what do you want?” Silver asked.

“Oh, um…” Cobalt looked thoughtful, his little face screwing up before he came to a decision. “A rock!”

Coco held back a laugh. Silver lifted an eyebrow. “A rock?”

Cobalt nodded, looking quite sure of himself. “A really cool rock.”

Silver grinned. “Alright buddy. I’ll get you the coolest rock I can find.”

Cobalt planted his hands on Silver’s chest, looking up at him eagerly with huge, dark blue eyes, exactly like Silver’s own. “Promise?”

Silver gave him another pat on the head. “I promise.” He stood up. “Go play in your room. I need to talk about grown-up stuff with your aunt.”

“Okay!” Cobalt hugged his father’s leg before scurrying off.

“I’ll come and say goodbye before I go!” Silver called after him, watching with a fond smile.

“You heading out soon?” Coco asked him.

Silver nodded. “Best I don’t leave it too long.”

Coco frowned. “Are you sure you don’t want me to come with you?” Once upon a time, she wouldn’t have questioned the idea of being a lone huntsman. She’d intended to be one herself after graduating Beacon, but now, it seemed unimaginable. She’d probably be lone gone by now were it not for her team.

Silver shook his head. “Fox and Yatsu are busy with the new shop and I need you here to keep Velvet company.” He looked away briefly. “Actually, she’s what I wanted to talk to you about.”

Coco lifted an eyebrow. “Oh?” She pushed away the immediate discomfort she felt at that. “What’s going on?”

Silver walked over to the bench chairs Coco had been sitting down earlier and sat down. _Oh,_ Coco thought, _I guess it’s serious then._ She headed over and took a seat next to him.

Silver played with his hands as he stared at the bench. “It’s just that…Velvet and I have been talking a lot about our relationship lately. And we’ve realized some things.”

Coco’s awkwardness grew stronger. Was he trying to ask her for relationship advice? Regarding the woman she’d had a crush on for half a decade? To be fair, he couldn’t _know_ about that part. Of everyone, only Fox did, and that was only because he knew her better than anyone and had figured it out before Coco had even fully realized it herself.

“Things like what?” She prompted. Despite her awkwardness, she was still curious about where this was going.

Silver looked as awkward as her, though Coco figured it was more due to not being the kind of guy to open up about these things, rather than having any idea of what Coco felt. “Things between us…they aren’t really the same as they used to be. We’ve talked about it a bit and I think we just…don’t feel the same way that we used to.”

Coco stamped down the tiny flare of hope that sparked within her. _Don’t be stupid, Coco,_ she scolded inwardly, _they’re struggling. That’s not a good thing. Be reasonable._

“That’s what happens in a relationship, you know,” She pointed out. “Feelings change. That doesn’t mean you don’t still love each other.”

“I know that,” Silver replied, still looking only at his hands on the bench. “But this is different. It isn’t just…the excitement not being there anymore. It’s not just that I miss the spark.” He sighed. “I do still love her. I know that much. But I don’t think it’s in a romantic way. Not anymore.”

Coco felt a wave of sympathy for him. She didn’t think she could ever stop loving Velvet in that way, as hard as she’d tried. And as difficult as her feelings made things, part of her still liked them. She loved making Velvet happy, seeing her smile, helping her whenever she could. For those feelings to fade away…it just sounded sad. Even if it would be a relief in her case.

“And…what about her?” She asked hesitantly. “Are you sure she feels the same?”

Silver gave a half-smile. “Yeah, we’ve talked about it briefly. I think her feelings faded even before mine did. I don’t think she even realizes but…” He lifted his head to stare distantly at the kitchen cupboards. “She can’t love me. I think there’s someone else that means more to her.”

Coco’s heart sunk. Who else would she have to compete with? Yatsu? No, Velvet had told her about that old crush, and it had gone away before the end of their second year. So…who else? Surely not Fox? He absolutely didn’t like girls, and anyone with half a brain could see how hard he’d fallen for Yatsu in the past year anyway.

At her confused silence, Silver chuckled and turned to her. “It’s you, Coco. I’m talking about you.”

Coco stared at him, not knowing what to say. _Her?_ Was that even possible? What did she even say to that? And if Velvet apparently didn’t realize, how could Silver see it?

“I…” She fumbled for the right words. “…What makes you say that?”

Silver smiled. “I guess I just know her well enough to tell. You mean so much to her,” He looked away slightly. “More than I ever could have, I think.”

Coco felt guilt stab into her, though she wasn’t sure she believed it. If it was true- which It couldn’t be- would that mean she was responsible for splitting them apart? Just as she’d been trying to avoid all these years?

Silver sighed heavily and rested his head on the bench. “It’s just…complicated. We’re going to talk about it properly when I get back, but…” He turned slightly to glance behind him in the direction of Cobalt’s bedroom. “What about Cobalt? What would us splitting up do to him?”

Coco followed his gaze. His question was prominent, and one she’d heard often in fictional media. Cobalt loved his parents dearly and they loved him right back. To be apart would crush all three of them.

“No matter what you and Velvet decided to do,” She started softly. “Just promise me something.”

Silver glanced back at her. “Yeah?”

Coco blinked slowly. “Promise me you’ll stick around. Cobalt needs both of his parents.” She smiled softly. “And you’re a good friend. Team CFVY wouldn’t be the same without you.”

Silver’s eyes widened. “What this?” he asked, his tone playfully mocking. “Sincere words of affection from Coco Adel?”

Coco shoved him.

“That’s more like it,” Silver huffed in amusement, rubbing his arm. His expression became serious. “But hey, of course I’ll stick around. You guys are my family.” He shrugged. “And hey, we’ve got a spare bedroom. I’d be happy to stay living here if Velvet’s okay with it too.”

Coco nodded, satisfied. “Good.” She smiled at him fondly. “Don’t know what we’d do without your dumb ass around here to keep us entertained.”

“Oof,” Silver looked jokingly hurt. “Are those your parting words to me as I prepare to leave for a dangerous mission?”

Coco grinned. “Hey, I’m being nice!”

Silver crossed his arms. “You called me dumb.”

“Technically, I called your ass dumb.” Coco smirked.

“Fair enough,” Silver chuckled. After a moment, a warm smile rested on his face. “Thanks for talking to me,” He said, his tone softer this time. “It was good to get it off my chest.”

Coco rested a hand on his shoulder. “Anytime. I hope you can figure things out.”

Silver sat up straighter. “Right. I guess I should go say goodbye to Cobalt.” He stood from the chair and walked across the room, but glanced back at Coco before leaving. “And hey, Coco?”

“Hm?”

“Take care of Velvet and Cobalt for me while I’m gone.” 

Coco smiled fondly, appreciating her friend more than ever.

“Of course.”


End file.
